Support for geiger-mueller counters



him-15,1943 E. H. WAKEFIELD 2,443,365

SUPPORT FOR GEIGER-MUELLER COUNTERS Filed Dec; 11, i945 5 FIE-2 k 6 f0 7 [1i t'rzesses Patented June 15, 1948 sorron'rRomanians-MUELLER COUNTERS 'ssigner' ts the Unit6d"State's of fiirireri'ca aswe reseirteumy the United-*- States- Atomic Energy Commission Application'De'cemb'r 11, 1945, Serial No. 634,309

This invention relates'to novel" apparatus for supporting a Geiger-'Muellerbounter init's shield-i- Shi'elds for Geig'e'r-Niir'eller counters usually are iIi-tfie' former a' lead cylinder with endclosures, oneoff which may be ope'ned to admit the CGilntll Tli'r'ztflioactive'sarhple i eithr'pla'cd' in "the shield below the counter tube or is wrapped around it; Both rorservicing' and for wrapping to provide a novel support by means of whicli a' counter tube can be supported in proper position in a'shieldend' canbe withdrawn and re-inserted readily, whereby handlin is facilitated, short circuits of the electrical circuits are rendered less likely/and the tube' itself and the seal between the tube and its external conductors-are pro tected.

Another object is to provide a novel support of the clia'ra cter described which can be us'eci 'for countershavingtubes of varioiissiz'es and' rna'terialsf Other objects and advantages will become apparent from the following description wherein. reference "is made to the drawings, in which:

Fig; 1-is-'- a-- long-itudirral sectional View of a Geiger-Mueller counter shield with the support of the present invention and a counter tube installed therein;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged side elevation of the support and tube; and

Fig. 3 is an enlarged cross sectional view taken on line 3--3 of Fig. 2.

Referring to the drawings, the usual cylindrical shield I is illustrated in Fig. 1 and preferably is in the form of a lead cylinder about 12 inches long and 6 inches in outside diameter with a wall thickness of about 1 inch. The cylinder 1 is closed permanently at one end and is closed at the other end by a swinging lid 2,

A Geiger-Mueller counter is shown having an elongated tube 3, usually of glass or aluminum, in which is disposed a high voltage electrode 4 which is coaxial with the tube. A high voltage conductor 5 is connected to one end of the electrode 4 and extends to the outside of the tube, the conductor 5 and the end of the electrode connected thereto being sealed into the end wall of the tube 3. The other end of the tube is sealed and the interior Wall of the tube is coated with a silver coating, indicated at 6, from which a conductor 1 leads through the circumferential Wall of the tube for connection in an external sealer circuit (not shown). It is apparent that the seals be- 5 Claims: (Cl. 250-8316)- sie tween tire-nuisanceeac orth'e conductors 5-and-" 1 may cecainagea e anyway-tensionapple to the cOlidtlCtillS; esfp' iallylwhen the'tube is The-support" with which thefp'reserlt inv" ti is particularly so. ce'rhed compir cos a rod I metal; ueri asrass, one enact-winches mounted in the fixedend wallof the shield lf at a poiift 6-17 from tli cel'ltl Of th el'ld W311i 'Illiarbtcl a tviliy long-the illsid Of tlfleslfiltf part-1.1-01 to the shield but spaced therefi'o'ni aiid'iroin tlie-circiirnfer ntial walfof the shield I? in the rodlll and clarnp for retainihg the clam-pf :properposftion circumferentially of the rod [0.

Mounted on the clamp II is a bracket l9 to which is fixedly secured an insulating sleeve 20 through which extends an external high voltage conductor 2! which is clamped in place in the sleeve 20 by a set screw 22. One end of the conductor 2| is provided with an alligator clamp 23 for detachably engaging the conductor 5. The other end of the conductor 2| extends through a polystyrene fitting in the end wall of the shield for connection to an external sealer circuit (not shown).

The high voltage conductor 2! is coiled at 24 to permit withdrawal of the support from the shield.

The rod I0 is grounded in the shield l and thus grounds the conductor I.

For convenience in sliding the counter along the rod Ill, a suitable insulating handle 25 is provided and so positioned as to be readily accessible from the end of the shield l which is closed by the lid 2.

Since the conductor 2| is anchored firmly to the bracket I9, no stress is transmitted to the conductor 5 or to the tube 3 by the conductor 2| when the counter is slid along the rod 5.

The danger of short circuits due to jamming the conductors against the closed end of the shield is further reduced by provision of a stop collar 26 on the rod which limits the inward movement of the clamp H.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:

1. A support for a Geiger-Mueller counter tube comprising an insulating clamp member adapted to be rigidly clamped to the tube, a supporting rod of electrically conducting material, a sleeve of conducting material rigidly attached to the clamp member and slidable therewith along the supporting rod and a conducting connector fixedly attached to the clamp member, whereby the electrodes of the tube may be electrically connected to an associated circuit by connection to said sleeve and connector respectively but are mechanically fixed in relation to the said clamp member and tube.

2. A support for a Geiger-Mueller counter tube comprising an elongated supporting member of electrically conducting material, an insulating clamp member adapted to be rigidly clamped to a counter tube, a slide member of electrically conducting material fixedly secured to the clamp member and slidably engaging the supporting member, an external conductor, connecting means on one end thereof for detachably engaging a conductor of the counter tube, and means securing said end of the external conductor rigidly to the clamp member, whereby the electrodes of the tube may be electrically connected to an associated circuit by connection to said slide member and external conductor respectively but are mechanically fixed in relation to said clamp member and tube.

3. In combination, a Geiger-Mueller counter tube, an elongated radiation shield, an elongated rigid support mounted in one end of the shield and extending lengthwise in the shield cavity, a clamp slidable along said support, a counter tube rigidly secured to the clamp, an insulated external conductor extending into the shield cavity and connected to a conductor of the tube, and means on the clamp securing one end of the external conductor in fixed position relative to the tube, whereby tension on the external conductor is transmitted only to the clamp.

4. In combination, a Geiger-Mueller counter tube, an elongated radiation shield, an elongated rigid support mounted in one end of the shield and extending lengthwise thereof in the shield cavity, a clamp slidable along said support, a counter tube rigidly secured to the clamp, an external insulated conductor extending into the shield cavity and connected to a conductor of the tube, means on the clamp for securing one end of the external conductor in fixed position relative to the tube, said elongated rigid support being of electrically conducting material, and electrical conducting means rigid with the clamp and connected to another conductor of the tube and in sliding contact with said support, whereby the tube may be moved along the support and remain free of tension on its conducting leads.

5. In combination, a Geiger-Mueller counter tube, an elongated radiation shield openable at one end, an elongated rigid support mounted in the other end of the shield and extending lengthwise thereof in the shield cavity, a clamp slidable along said support, a counter tube rigidly secured to the clamp, an external insulated conductor extending into the shield cavity and connected to a conductor of the tube, means on the clamp securing one end of the external conductor in fixed position relative to the tube, and a handle of electrically insulating material on the clamp and extending toward said openable end of the shield, whereby the tube may be moved along the support and remain free of tension on its conducting leads.

ERNEST H. WAKEFIELD.

REFERENUES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 768,048 Hogan Aug. 23, 1904 2,316,239 Hare Apr. 13, 1943 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 142,872 Germany Jan. 1, 1903 

